Subject: RE: BS: YIPPEE !!! I'm off to see Judy Collins !
From:
Murray MacLeod
Date: 12 Nov 01 - 06:57 AM
Well, the concert was magical, one I will remember for a long time. I had never seen Judy Collins live before so I guess I was exoecting to see a plump middle aged woman in a long "all enveloping" dress. I was amazed to see this foxy chick in a black velvet catsuit and six inch stillettos come stalking out on stage, looking like she had been working out all her life. WOW ! The music? Oh, I can't remember anything about the music .....Only kidding.
She did a couple of songs starting off with "Both Sides Now" and then handed the stage over to Janis Ian. I had in fact seen Janis Ian three years ago at Newport Folk Fest when I was totally amazed by her, so I knew what to expect this time round and she didn't disappoint. Her guitar playing btw is amazing. Sure she uses a lot of sophisticated electronics, but she is GOOD. She did "At 17" and "Society's Child" in her set, and announced that for her final number she would do a singalong folk song. I guess everybody thought she would do "Kumbaya" or "This Land is Your Land" but she launched into "These Boots are made for Walking". Great stuff.
Richie Havens followed her, I had never seen him live before but he was mesmerizing. How he gets that guitar sound with that thumb fretting technique I xan't imagine. He ended his set with "Freedom" and while strumming the final chords with hummingbird-like rapidity he climbed off his stool and executed a Van Halen type leap in the air, which was as impressive as it was unexpected.
The Bossman followed him on and did all his great somgs, "Chestnut Mare", !Tambourine Man", "So You Wanna be a Rock'n Roll Star", and a mindblowing version of "Eight Miles High" where he played an unbelieveable intro on his Martin 12 string. I have seen McGuinn live a couple of times before, but never realized what a really fine guitarist he is. His voice of course was still as sublime as ever. And he didn't nod his head once!! He must have been reading Spaw's posts. But he HAS grown a beard, which I found a little confusing .........
Judy Collins then came on for her main set and treated us all to a consummate performance, the highlight of which, for me at any rate, was her tribute to New York, an achingly beautiful acapella rendition of "Give My Regards to Broadway". It almost had me in tears, and that is no easy feat. "Amaxing Grace" and "Send in the Clowns "were in there as wel. of course.
All four came on to end the concert with a beautiful "Let it Be", to end a memorable event. And apart from the music, what I will remember is how imcredibly fit and healthy these performers looked. I always though the touring lifestyle was supposed to be debilitating, but they all looked twenty years younger than their real age Incredible. They must work out big time to look like that.
Im off to the gym now before it's too late .......
Murray
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sj
